My Daughter, the Artist

Annie made this T Rex mask for Pop for his birthday. It is a whopping 8" across and 12" high. He loves it and so do I. She has made just a few pieces since joining as one of the artists-in-residence over at Kids 'n' Clay in Berkeley. What a fantastic program!. They are not formally "taught" but are allowed the freedom to explore all the materials, tools and machines with the support of a great staff.

I got a sneak peek at something she is making for me and I can't wait! I'll post something here when she's finished.

I Think We Might Have Just Bought a House

Let's just say that I always stop at an open house. Even if I know it's not for me or it's too expensive. I just love looking. And dreaming. I've probably looked in over 40 or more houses since moving to Alameda nine months ago. Most of the houses we have wanted (and would fit us and our menagerie) have been frankly, waaay out of our league. And I'm not even talking fancy houses! Most of the houses in our price range have been tear down's or so tiny that we might as well buy a small condo. I guess it's timing that brings us here. The market is allowing us to buy a house that we normally couldn't get.

So here we are. I thought I'd be a lot more excited, nervous, thankful and over-the-moon than I am. It's a little odd. I've wanted it so long.

The house is a circa 1906 Colonial Revival Cottage. Upstairs it has a foyer, living, dining, two bedrooms and a kitchen and bath that need help but that are livable. Downstairs it has two more bedrooms, a full bath, a laundry/storage room and a room that will be Annie's studio/playroom. The backyard has a tree (I really wanted to have a tree!) and we share a driveway and a common wall to the garage with a neighbor. We are "in contract" and escrow starts tomorrow, so now it's up to us. We need to go over the house with an inspector and if all checks out, we move. Soon.

*Blink* Blink*

One Hour Dress

Annie loved my Two-Hour Dress and made a request for one just like it. So I made this for her. The fabric is the same as mine, but the style is a little different. I copied a unique (and twirly) dress of Annie's for the pattern. It included an asymetrical skirt and a few additional details, like a drop waist, and a gusseted section on the skirt with an exposed seam. I added the roses...one at the shoulder and one at the waist. We both wore the dresses yesterday to walk the span of the Golden Gate Bridge along with Grandma and Grandpa who were visiting. And who could guess with the extreme heat that we've been suffering with, that the bridge it would be totally blanketed in fog and extremely high winds? We couldn't see a thing, froze our fannies off, and I got a hot pink wind burn on my face and chest.
So today I've babied myself with a nap, a bath and home-improvement TV.

Heat Wave

Ugh! It's really really hot here in Alameda. Really really hot. It's 98* at this moment. And this old house has no screens or ceiling fans. So, we are baking! I tried opening windows and doors yesterday, but the house was filled with hot stagnant air, plus there were a ton of flies on top of it all. So today we are closed up and the drapes are drawn. Annie and I have taken a cold, green tea bath already, and we didn't drain it so we can jump in and have another one. Soon. Very soon. It's Bill's birthday today, (although we're not celebrating until tomorrow) so I'm decorating, and baking. (Ak!) Bill requested Chocolate Bread Pudding. I'm also cleaning, changing sheets and and getting ready for Bill's folks who get here tomorrow afternoon for the birthday celebration.

Enough about my workload, the photo above is a little singing mermaid I made for Lily around the corner. It was her 5th birthday recently and she had a mermaid party. It was a really great party and she loved the mermaid. Or at least her folks did! Makes me want to jump and swim in a cool body of water just looking at her. Ahhhh, that tea bath is calling my name. I'm sure I'll get much more crossed off my list if my temperature is more manageable.

I See Her

"...Now I find joy and I see her
Now I accept my kindness and see her
my silliness, my stamina, my faith and I still see her..."

thank you mom
thank you my annie
happy mother's day, happy mothering dear friends

Link to Blue Sky Dreaming to read the rest of this poem. It knocked my socks off.

French Toast with Frida

O.K. You can see from the picture above that Frida doesn't always love to have her picture taken. Especially before breakfast. But can you blame me? She woke up early, opened up the big Kahlo book and got started penciling in a unibrow and planning a hairdo. I think she looks great! She was Frida from early morning, through clay class (where none of the other homeschoolers even commented) and then to the Vivarum to purchase two live mice for her snake, where she was treated like a celebrity. Even with smudges of clay all over her arms and face.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Layers of Love

My dear friend Mary Ann has started a blog highlighting her most recent studio work. You can link to Blue Sky Dreaming here. Her studio is in Capitola California where she works and lives with her poet husband Pablo and the ocean breezes. The whole time I have known her, I guess about ten years, she has always had a series going. When it ends, another begins. I'm amazed at her drive. And inspired. And a little jealous.

I grabbed two pieces off her blog to show here. She works in many mediums from paint, paper, fiber to found object. When I look at her work I see her expert hand creating layers of stories and possibly some kind of map to her dreams. Maybe they are breadcrumb trails, left behind while out exploring so she can find her way back to an internal place of peace? I love thinking about it. I also love how the layers build up on her canvas or paper... colors, imagery, textures, paint strokes and threads, stacked up, one on top of the other holding secret prayers, desires, celebrations, and questions about the eternal. Oh yes. And about love!

I believe Mary Ann knows a bit about love.
I love you M A.